FOR Roland and Penina Wong to be operating The Ark of Hope, a refuge for street people, is not easy.
Apart from raising their own family, the couple started a home where they train and help 20 street kids get back on track.
"We started the Ark of Hope when my husband had a vision to help people living on the street and drag them away from committing crime," Mrs Wong said.
"He was a street kid for two years after dropping out of school in 1990. When we were saved by Christ, we cared for the street kids because we knew that was the ministry we were called for.
"We teach them skills such as carpentry, screen printing, painting and we do a lovo food business."
In 2007, the couple started the ministry and took in 20 people from the streets.
"It was hard at first because it took time for them to earn our trust. Our love for others was tested with the first lot we trained. Many people we looked after came from a broken home or abusive home environment. They were alcoholics, drug addicts, pickpockets, ex-convicts but we manage to get through it, with God's guidance and love," Mrs Wong said.
The Ark of Hope looks after 15 street people from 18 years to a 67-year-old and provides food to between 30 and 40 people a day. They also have Bible lessons and prayer sessions to help their spiritual life.
"We have seven people who want to make this home their home and they are group leaders we rely on to run the ministry.
"We always stress to them that it is important for them to know the love of God and the purpose of their existence.
"Because people can look down on you because of your past but only God can change it and make us a whole new being."
The Ark of Hope is trying to be self-sufficient by running a food catering business where they sell lovo packs to offices in Suva for $5. They completed a Fiji Times project where they built 30 shoeshine boxes to be donated to shoeshine boys.
They also sell paintings, firewood, and a member of the home is operating his own brush-cutting business.
The Ark of Hope is at 21 Stewart Street, opposite the Rups carpark in Suva.
